What Need is There to Pull the String if the Win is Honourable?
The dark sky late at night was nowhere near as oppressive as Boss’ gaze. I was sure Boss was mad because she thought I disparaged her behind her back. Panic? Why? I already created a skillset to handle her called “Beat Around the Bush Explanation Method”. Boss wouldn’t have the patience to listen to me stuttering, stammering and fumbling my words. As long as I could drag it out for long enough, she’d lose interest in asking more questions. The trick to it was balancing clumsiness and illogical statements. While she had a short fuse, you’d only fan her flames if your logic was illogical or too vague.
“Brother Ming, there have been the number of rumours related to you lately. How about you do some explaining?”
“Um… She said she wanted to come here, back in the imperial palace, I mean, under the Chinese bayan tree, I mean, so, what happened was…”
“I heard you’re into men.”
“That is completely false.” I straightened my torso up and held a “stop” sign hand out. “That is completely unfounded. Who is spreading the false claim? Is there a witness? Do they have proof? I demand a face-to-face confrontation. Before that, do not make any unfair assumptions about this one.”
“Huh, you’re not stammering anymore?”
Ah… Boss seems to know me too well recently.
“Pfft, judging from how scared you look, I don’t believe you’d badmouth me behind my back. Forget it. Sit.”
I wiped my temples and then sat down as I was told. An explanation was unnecessary. Why would someone as smart and sharp as her need one? She just wanted to see me troubled as revenge. Thank heavens for that because I had no good justification for bringing General Manager Bai back… when not even I knew the reason behind her motivation…
“You’re wondering why I won’t let Lord Zi stay here, correct?”
Why don’t all you informed people just discuss it together instead of dragging me in next time?
“Oi, you listening?“
“Yes!”
Boss cracked a smile. “I can tell you. Uncle wants me to remind you anyway. He said you know what to do.”
His Majesty sure trusted me more than I trusted myself.
“Uncle wants Lord Zi to separate himself from the imperial court, not divulge his identity, not request aid from the imperial palace, and not spend officials’ money. He’s only permitted one companion while he spends the next year outside the imperial palace.”
“What for? Experiencing the people’s life?”
“Of course not. Surely you’ve already guessed it.” Boss smiled at my confused expression. “Lord Zi is set to be crowned a Prince status.”
“What? The kid is about to become a Prince?”
I realised Zizi would eventually grow up when I met him early, and look as annoying as his brothers, or weird, but I never expected that day to come so soon.
Boss shook her head. “Didn’t I mention that he has to spend a year as a commoner?”
“Oh, so the one-year experience is training to become a Prince?“
“Correct. It’s a tradition of this dynasty’s imperial family for every generation – no exceptions.”
“How come I never heard about this?”
The second Emperor of Li Dynasty wasn’t young when he became Crown Prince, so he spent twenty years touring the world while his old man was still alive. He was a revered artist who almost rivalled one of my friends. He brought back to the palace an enormous piece of art, one that supposedly needed an entire big palace to spread open, that encapsulated the entire world physically and spiritually. That was why his rule was based on his understanding of the world.
Boss mischievously stuck her tongue out. “If even you knew about it, wouldn’t it be dangerous for Princes to be out in the world? You’re actually right in that the policy came from the second Emperor’s rule. It was initially a means of teaching the Crown Prince about the people’s pains. Uncle also went through it, didn’t he?”
I had heard about that, but I also heard that he was pressed for time when it was his turn because the other Princes were all in trouble. Emperor Yuansheng was mocked quite a bit since he had to reluctantly take up the mantle. Perhaps that was when the Seven Champion White Princes started plotting their take over. In any case, due to his brothers’ predicaments, Emperor Yuansheng had a particularly short period of training in the world of commoners.
Ah, he was allowed to take one companion, which must’ve been Uncle Wuzheng. No wonder why Luo Ming captured him.
“Crown Prince, right? Why is it even a requisite to become a Prince now?”
Boss shrugged. “That was how it used to be. An official couldn’t stand the Princes loafing all day, though, so he put in a request to the second Emperor to have the requisite apply to all Princes. He opined that, even if they didn’t spend twenty years, it was necessary for them to understand the miseries of the people. That’s how it became a requirement for all Princes.”
That official sure has a solid spine… Eh?
“If even Princes have to go through it, doesn’t that mean they have to go through it twice to become Crown Prince?”
“Technically, yes. Having said that, the requirements for Princes are much simpler. They just have to spend a few months near the capital, while a Crown Prince would have to travel far and abide by more rules. Of course, considering the environment they grew up in, it’s tough for them either way. Well, besides the last ruler. You know how the last Emperor had a terrible personality… special, if you will, so his sons’ experiences were like hell in comparison.”
Did Boss just insult the former Emperor without any hesitation?
I had heard that the last Emperor demoted Boss’ grandpa, and it sounded as though the grudge was still carried.
Liu Shan Men’s motto was to uphold justice on behalf of heaven for the sake of the people. To honour that oath, they were frequently likely to bump heads with an Emperor – or even the imperial family.
Wouldn’t that make Liu Shan Men the biggest potential threat to the imperial court?
The reason I picked Liu Shan Men was because they didn’t unconditionally side with the imperial court if they upheld their motto, but it only felt real after hearing Boss curse the former Emperor. Considering Shen Clan’s attitude, it was no longer surprising why their demotion hit so hard despite a century of service. Had they managed to stay in power, they wouldn’t have fallen so dramatically when the Qilin Guards swooped in to take their members. It seemed that it was until Uncle Wuzheng won Emperor Yuansheng’s trust and Ol’ Yan started putting crime on its head that Liu Shan Men rose again – and to a level that rivalled Divine Moon Cult’s power.
Boss looked as natural as though she had gotten used to blasting the last Emperor and only blurted it due to a moment of thoughtlessness.
“I’m not smearing the erstwhile Emperor. He really was a mindless man. You know, he sent Uncle’s eldest brother to Tiezhen as an undercover and said he’d only let Uncle’s brother return if he could sabotage Tiezhen’s royal family’s relationship. Who knows how many brushes with death he had during the seven years there.”
“Sheesh… Did he succeed?”
Boss flapped her eyelids. “Haven’t you heard Abels was exiled from the family?”
That was the last Emperor’s work?! And here His Majesty formed a brotherhood with Brother Bodhi. Are you just trying to make it up to the man?!
“Uncle’s two other brothers didn’t achieve any less. Considering their accomplishments, it was understandable why Uncle was seen as the one with the least potential. For the same reason, his brothers all believed they were all qualified to rule. Accordingly, they contended for the throne. I wasn’t born yet at the time, but I heard from my grandpa that people died daily in the capital. Officials dropped like flies. There had never been so much disorder since Li Clan took to the throne.”
I heaved a long breath. “I had no idea there was this much to it. The official who came up with the idea was a genius. Had it not been for him, all of that could’ve been avoided.”
And he enforced it on all the future Princes. I was worried for his descendants.
“That was my ancestor.”
It was your family’s merit?! I was wondering why the Princes don’t mind the Qilin Guards and Emperor’s Entourage but dislike Liu Shan Men. No wonder why General Manager Bai doesn’t like Boss and brought Zizi to Liu Shan Men. This is revenge, isn’t it?
Boss shrugged. “What can I do if they have an issue with it? It’s not like I’m responsible. Is it my fault they loafed around? Uncle isn’t as strict as his father. That’s why he isn’t as demanding on the Princes. Their training is honestly just a formality. Though they’re forbidden from buying things with money, they have networks. It’s honestly just a field trip rather than a learning experience. Mayhap he felt he has neglected his duties as a father, so he wants to provide them with mentors. Of course, he probably genuinely wants to give Lord Zi a learning experience, too.”
No wonder why His Majesty was willing to personally talk to me about it. Had he said Zizi would be an official Prince once he returned to the capital, it’d be the same as directly telling me to take him as my disciple. Now that I think about it, didn’t His Majesty set me up? Damn, you sly Fangzhang.
“Perhaps His Majesty genuinely wants you to mentor Lord Zi, but I’m sure he’d be happy if you mentored any of the other Princes. They are his sons, after all. In my opinion, Lord Zi’s personality is similar to Brilliant Consort, kind and willing to learn from you. Why don’t you take Lord Zi under your wing? He’s considered you his shifu all this time, after all.”
I paused to think.
***
Bright and early in the morning, I sat opposite three others to give a lecture on martial arts.
“Southern and Northern disciplines have different focuses. Northern disciplines are sophisticated by far. In contrast, Southern styles focus on cultivating one’s mind and qi. Unless it’s a discipline from a sect with a long history, such as Wudang and Shaolin, you’ll be hard pressed to find an exception.
“For instance, Emei practices rigidity and flexibility, but they focus more on internal disciplines and palm techniques compared to their broadswordplay and swordplay. While there is an element of sophistication to their techniques, they don’t stray from several principles. In terms of big techniques and hard-hitting techniques, there’s a tiny focus on it. Their joint locking techniques are among the best and lethal, but the majority of those techniques are dependent on finesse.
“Kunlun Sect are a sect of swordsmen, but their techniques are focused predominately on cold-blooded murder. They also practice joint locks, but you’ll notice they resemble eagle claw techniques. Their techniques synchronise with their breathing, but their techniques are primarily focused on what the body feels and eyes see.
“Beijiang is almost all about power. Despite them also having flexible techniques, what you see in the Central Plain is virtually an exaggerated version, and theirs are vicious.
“The main reason for the difference is that, although southerners have the culmination of internal disciplines, their bodies aren’t as tough and large as northerners. The cause of that has to do with differences in environment, food and so forth.”
Subsequent to deliberation, Tang Ye queried, “Is that why southerners are more well-versed in martial arts compared to northerners despite there being more northerners?”
“Generally speaking, yes. There are more talented martial artists from the north, but those at the top are virtually all southerners. That’s where your assumption fits in. There are a fair number of northerners who practice internal disciplines and complexity. Likewise, there are southerners who are large and practice hard-hitting disciplines, and there are also people of smaller stature with weaker constitutions who practice hard-hitting internal energy disciplines.”
Zizi raised his hand and enthused, “I know. I know. I know. That is Qianli’s Hunched Great! Despite being a Bashu citizen and being born with a hunched back, he is one of the South’s Six Greats.”
I smiled. “You sure know a lot. Who told you?”
Zizi proudly answered, “Sister Lian mentioned him in the stories she told me. She said he has a bad temper and likes to fight.”
Tang Ye added, “That would be Qianli Sect’s patriarch, Xiang Jingtian, then. I heard he starts fights if someone so much as disagrees with him, but he is also known for being just and seldom kills. Even though he is known for having an unpredictable temperament, he is thought of as a positive influence in the martial world.”
“Correct. His style is about brute strength even though he’s shorter than Zizi. What conclusion does this lead to, Su Xiao?”
“Meow?”
“Answer the question.”
Su Xiao hissed, then scoured his memories from the lesson to reply, “He was born with a bunched back, isn’t tall, and yet he practiced a rigid and power-based discipline, which proves… the taboo for martial artists is presumptions. If one believes too firmly in sects’ knowledge and common sense that has withstood the test of time, they will be prone to limiting themselves.”
I bobbed my head. Su Xiao was right, but what I wanted to say was actually, “Don’t look down on short people just because you’re tall.” Well, he was still right, so…
“Xiao, what were you thinking about while I was talking?”
Su Xiao scratched the back of his head. “I was trying to figure out why people like to fight so much.”
“Because it’s fun?”
“But, fighting leads to injuries, pain, bleeding… I can’t think of any benefits.”
I shrugged. “Then don’t fight.”
“But people will fight for a myriad of possible reasons. Some people fight as a means to an end, while others will be forced to fight because of those people.”
“The people you describe don’t like fighting. Fighting is a simple matter. It’s not noble, but it’s not bad. People of the martial world have made fighting out to be a sacred affair; they act as if it can bring salvation to mankind. Untrained folks, on the other hand, curse fighting as the most devilish thing imaginable. Don’t blame fighting as the source of trouble. Fighting is an incentive. People hurt people. People who like to fight, only like to fight. People who use martial arts as a means to glory, power and wealth like power and wealth; it has nothing to do with liking to fight.”
Su Xiao beamed. “I get it now! As long as I don’t use my skills to bully or do bad things, I’m on the side of good.”
I caressed Su Xiao’s head. “Good that you understand.”
I asked the same question when I was seven back on Mount Daluo and received the same response as well as the same head strokes. I finally had a chance to share the teachings I was taught. I turned to Zizi and smiled. “Your turn, Zizi.”
Zizi, face wrinkled, replied, “Please enlighten me, Shifu.”
I caressed Zizi’s head, too, to help him relax. “Do you think there are just and unjust martial arts?”
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